Organic foods and products have become wildly popular in recent years as people have become more concerned about their health and the environment. When shopping for these products you may come across confusing terms and labels or products without labels. The following information can help eliminate the confusion and make you a savvy organic shopper.
Organic Terms In 2002 the USDA set strict standards under the National Organic Program for organically grown food and livestock. In order to be labeled “organic” a government certifier must inspect the farm where the food was grown (or animals raised) to ensure these standards have been met.
Foods containing at least 95% certified organic ingredients may now bear the USDA Organic seal. Organic livestock – and their products, such as milk and eggs, must have never been given antibiotics or hormones for any reason in order to bear the seal in addition to eating organic feed. This is a voluntary process, so not all organic products will bear this seal.
Other terms you may find on product labels include:
100% Organic - All of the ingredients in the product are certified organic.
Organic - A minimum of 95% of the product ingredients are certified organic, but do contain a few ingredients that are not certified.
Made with Organic Ingredients - This statement requires a product contain at least 70% certified organic ingredients.
The terms “100% Organic” and “Organic” may contain the USDA Organic seal. For products with less than 70% certified organic ingredients, they can only identify the organic ingredients in the product’s ingredient list.
As of 2005, the USDA organic seal may now appear on personal care products, pet food, and dietary supplements as long as they are made from agricultural products that meet the USDA National Organic Program standards. They may post the seal if they contain 95-100% organic products-the same rules that apply to food. Textile fibers such as cotton and wool may also carry the seal and must follow the same rules.
One item you won’t find the USDA Organic seal on is fish. The experts are still trying to work that out and currently there are no organic standards set for fish. You can visit the Environmental Defense Fund at www.edf.org to learn more about choosing fish that is healthy for you and the planet. Soon the organic seal is expected to also mean clone-free. The Organic Trade Association has already stated organic products will not come from cloned animals.
GMOs A “GMO” is a genetically modified organism. The most widely grown GMO crops include soybeans, corn, canola, and cotton. When a food has been genetically modified it can contain genes from other species that would otherwise not occur naturally. This is usually done to give more “desirable” characteristics like insect resistance or a longer shelf life. The long term effects of GMOs on the environment and health are not yet known. GMO products cannot be labeled as organic.
Natural vs. Organic If a product is labeled as “natural” it does not have to be organic. The term “natural” is not regulated for products other than meat and poultry, but typically means a product is free of artificial additives.
Picking Produce Some conventionally farmed produce is more contaminated with pesticides than others. If you regularly consume one of the fruits or veggies listed on the most contaminated list, you would benefit from buying organic.
Most Contaminated Peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes.
Least Contaminated Onions, avocados, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mangos, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, and broccoli.
Living Naturally and Royal River Natural Foods, www.rrnf.com
Photo by Don Segundo
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